[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 132 (Tuesday, September 28, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H7197-H7199]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DENTAL EMERGENCY RESPONDER ACT OF 2010
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 903) to amend the Public Health Service Act to enhance the
roles of dentists and allied dental personnel in the Nation's disaster
response framework, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 903
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Dental Emergency Responder
Act of 2010''.
SEC. 2. DENTAL EMERGENCY RESPONDERS: PUBLIC HEALTH AND
MEDICAL RESPONSE.
(a) National Health Security Strategy.--Section 2802(b)(3)
of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300hh-1(b)(3)) is
amended--
[[Page H7198]]
(1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting
``and which may include dental health facilities'' after
``mental health facilities''; and
(2) in subparagraph (D), by inserting ``(which may include
such dental health assets)'' after ``medical assets''.
(b) All-Hazards Public Health and Medical Response
Curricula and Training.--Section 319F(a)(5)(B) of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d-6(a)(5)(B)) is amended by
striking ``public health or medical'' and inserting ``public
health, medical, or dental''.
SEC. 3. DENTAL EMERGENCY RESPONDERS: HOMELAND SECURITY.
(a) National Response Framework.--Paragraph (6) of section
2 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101) is
amended by inserting ``and dental'' after ``emergency
medical''.
(b) National Preparedness System.--Subparagraph (B) of
section 653(b)(4) of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management
Reform Act of 2006 (6 U.S.C. 753(b)(4)) is amended by
striking ``public health and medical'' and inserting ``public
health, medical, and dental''.
(c) Chief Medical Officer.--Paragraph (5) of section 516(c)
of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 321e(c)) is
amended by striking ``medical community'' and inserting
``medical and dental communities''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
General Leave
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material in the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to include in the Record an
exchange of letters between Chairman Waxman and Chairman Thompson, who
is chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, regarding this
legislation.
House of Representatives,
Committee on Homeland Security,
Washngton, DC, September 24, 2010.
Hon. Henry A. Waxman,
Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Rayburn Bldg.,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Waxman: I write to you regarding H.R. 903,
the ``Dental Emergency Responder Act of 2009.''
H.R. 903 contains provisions that fall within the
jurisdiction of the Committee on Homeland Security. I
recognize and appreciate your desire to bring this
legislation before the House in an expeditious manner and,
accordingly, I will not seek a sequential referral of the
bill. However, agreeing to waive consideration of this bill
should not be construed as the Committee on Homeland Security
waiving, altering, or otherwise affecting its jurisdiction
over subject matters contained in the bill which fall within
its Rule X jurisdiction.
Further, I request your support for the appointment of
Homeland Security conferees during any House-Senate
conference convened on this or similar legislation. I also
ask that a copy of this letter and your response be included
in the legislative report on H.R. 903 and in the
Congressional Record during floor consideration of this bill.
I look forward to working with you as we prepare to pass
this important legislation.
Sincerely,
Bennie G. Thompson,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Energy and Commerce,
Washington, DC, September 24, 2010.
Hon. Bennie Thompson,
Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, Ford House Office
Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Thompson: Thank you for your letter regarding
H.R. 903, the ``Dental Emergency Responder Act.'' The
Committee on Energy and Commerce recognizes that the
Committee on Homeland Security has a jurisdictional interest
in H.R. 903, and I appreciate your effort to facilitate
consideration of this bill.
I also concur with you that forgoing action on the bill
does not in any way prejudice the Committee on Homeland
Security with respect to its jurisdictional prerogatives on
this bill or similar legislation in the future, and I would
support your effort to seek appointment of an appropriate
number of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving
this legislation.
I will include our letters on H.R. 903 in the Committee
report on H.R. 903 and in the Congressional Record during
floor consideration of the bill. Again, I appreciate your
cooperation regarding this legislation and I look forward to
working with the Committee on Homeland Security as the bill
moves through the legislative process.
Sincerely,
Henry A. Waxman,
Chairman.
I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise this evening in strong support of H.R. 903, the Dental
Emergency Responder Act of 2010. This bill amends the Public Health
Service Act to include dentists in the national health security
strategy, which is the strategy HHS develops to respond to a public
health emergency. And I would particularly like to thank Representative
Stupak for all his work on this bill. I urge my colleagues to support
this bill.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 903 would allow the Department of Health and Human Services to
utilize dentists and dental facilities to respond to medical
emergencies. The bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to
include dental personnel within the definition of ``emergency response
providers.'' Mr. Speaker, there has been uncertainty as to whether
dental providers could be considered emergency response providers.
This bill also requires the Chief Medical Officer of the Department
of Homeland Security to serve as the Department's primary point of
contact for the dental community with respect to medical and public
health matters related to natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and
other manmade disasters.
Finally, the bill amends the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform
Act of 2006 to allow, if necessary, operational plans developed by
Federal agencies with responsibilities under the National Response Plan
to address preparedness and deployment of dental resources.
This bill was drafted to ensure that Congress was not being
prescriptive as to how the Department of Health and Human Services or
the Department of Homeland Security should plan for medical
emergencies. The bill provides these Departments increased flexibility
to utilize additional professional expertise and capacity, if they feel
it is appropriate. This is just common sense. The fact that today the
Department of Homeland Security could not talk to a dental school where
it is decided it would be an ideal place to stockpile materials like
vaccines but could if it was a medical school is just absurd.
If these facilities can aid our national defense, or if dentists want
to be included in our Nation's post-disaster response, the fact that
the government felt constrained to include them is a gross oversight
that this bill corrects. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to include in the Record
an exchange of letters between Chairman Waxman of my committee and
Chairman Oberstar of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
that pertains to this legislation.
House of Representatives, Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure
Washington, DC, September 28, 2010.
Hon. Henry A. Waxman,
Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, U.S. House of
Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Waxman: I write to you regarding H.R. 903,
the ``Dental Emergency Responder Act of 2009''.
H.R. 903 contains provisions that fall within the
jurisdiction of the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure. I recognize and appreciate your desire to
bring this legislation before the House in an expeditious
manner and, accordingly, I will not seek a sequential
referral of the bill. However, I agree to waive consideration
of this bill with the mutual understanding that my decision
to forgo a sequential referral of the bill does not waive,
reduce, or otherwise affect the jurisdiction of the Committee
on Transportation and Infrastructure over H.R. 903.
Further, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
reserves the right to seek the appointment of conferees
during any House-Senate conference convened on this
legislation on provisions of the bill that are within the
Committee's jurisdiction. I ask for your commitment to
support any request by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure for the appointment of conferees on H.R. 903
or similar legislation.
Please place a copy of this letter and your response
acknowledging the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure's jurisdictional interest in the Congressional
Record during consideration of the measure in the House.
I look forward to working with you as we prepare to pass
this important legislation.
Sincerely,
James L. Oberstar,
Chairman.
[[Page H7199]]
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Energy and Commerce,
Washington, DC, September 28, 2010.
Hon. James L. Oberstar,
Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Oberstar: Thank you for your letter regarding
H.R. 903, the ``Dental Emergency Responder Act.'' The
Committee on Energy and Commerce recognizes that the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has a
jurisdictional interest in H.R. 903, and I appreciate your
effort to facilitate consideration of this bill.
I also concur with you that forgoing action on the bill
does not in any way prejudice the Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure with respect to its jurisdictional
prerogatives on this bill or similar legislation in the
future, and I would support your effort to seek appointment
of an appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate
conference involving this legislation.
I will include our letters on H.R. 903 in the Congressional
Record during floor consideration of the bill. Again, I
appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and I
look forward to working with the Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure as the bill moves through the legislative
process.
Sincerely,
Henry A. Waxman,
Chairman.
Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill, and I yield back the balance
of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 903, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________